Here is the official press release for my gift packages:
An Adventurous Liz Ford Explores Asia – Share in her Experience!
World domination ain't cheap! Liz Ford, WPBA pro and writer on the game, is one of five players chosen to represent the U.S. at the prestigious Amway Cup in Taipei, Taiwan.
She wants you to share in her Asian experience – connect to her on a personal level and adopt a player to root for in international competition by becoming part of her team.
For a contribution of $60 dollars or more, receive:
- a postcard from Liz while she is in Taiwan
- a signed picture of Liz
- a DVD of stroke-training exercises featuring Liz
- a $10 Gift Certificate from PoolDawg
- Free video of your choice from Accustats (priced at $20 or less)
Liz is known for her accessibility to fans, smart wit and insights into the game. She will be giving daily updates and pictures from her adventure on her blog, Sticks and Balls and Holes. Her contribution to the game depends on help from people like you!
Friday, February 19, 2010
Tuesday, February 16, 2010
Help me get to Taiwan!
2010 Contributor Thank You Gift Packages are now available! For a minimum contribution of $60 you get a signed glossy, a stroke-training DVD made by me and a $10 PoolDawg gift certificate!
JUST CLICK THE DONATE BUTTON TO THE RIGHT
Make sure to include any personal message you would like on the photo.
If you are a fan of this blog and would like to see more instructional information, tournament updates and cheeky, home-spun wisdom - please purchase a Gift Package today!
Packages will start shipping on March 1st for those of you who already contributed.
Yee Haw!
Dynamic Shots
Things get a little more sophisticated... just a little, though.
Objectives: Strengthen the basics of cue ball control by performing many similar, but not identical, shots that emphasize the same principal (e.g. speed control, stun angle control, correctly assessing the natural line, etc.) Mental focus is increased in this section but is still pretty low, as you already have a general plan and are learning by repetition.
I will be throwing in a draw speed control drill for myself and probably a couple of others that fit into this category from Phil Capelle's "Practicing Pool."
Here are some of Johan's drills:
Endless Drill
- Each object ball position represents a different variation of this exercise.
- Start with ball in hand behind the center line, pocket the one and bring the cue ball back past the center line. Re-spot the object ball and shoot until you miss or fail to bring the cue ball across to the upper half of the table.
- Move on to the same exercise with the different object ball positions.
Natural Line
- Object is to pocket the 10 in any pocket with ball in hand and using a rolling cue ball (natural line) to carom into balls 1-9.
The Center Line
- Choose any of the "cue balls" (balls 1-7) and pocket the object ball (15) in either corner.
- The "cue ball" must come to rest in the position zone known as the center line (the rectangular area defined by balls 8-11.)
- The "cue ball" then becomes the object ball and you choose any of the remaining "cue balls" to pocket it with the same positional requirement. Repeat with the remaining "cue balls."
- This drill can be played endlessly by resetting the "cue balls" when you have successfully used them all.
Next up, Dynamic Drills...
Objectives: Strengthen the basics of cue ball control by performing many similar, but not identical, shots that emphasize the same principal (e.g. speed control, stun angle control, correctly assessing the natural line, etc.) Mental focus is increased in this section but is still pretty low, as you already have a general plan and are learning by repetition.
I will be throwing in a draw speed control drill for myself and probably a couple of others that fit into this category from Phil Capelle's "Practicing Pool."
Here are some of Johan's drills:
Endless Drill
- Each object ball position represents a different variation of this exercise.
- Start with ball in hand behind the center line, pocket the one and bring the cue ball back past the center line. Re-spot the object ball and shoot until you miss or fail to bring the cue ball across to the upper half of the table.
- Move on to the same exercise with the different object ball positions.
Natural Line
- Object is to pocket the 10 in any pocket with ball in hand and using a rolling cue ball (natural line) to carom into balls 1-9.
The Center Line
- Choose any of the "cue balls" (balls 1-7) and pocket the object ball (15) in either corner.
- The "cue ball" must come to rest in the position zone known as the center line (the rectangular area defined by balls 8-11.)
- The "cue ball" then becomes the object ball and you choose any of the remaining "cue balls" to pocket it with the same positional requirement. Repeat with the remaining "cue balls."
- This drill can be played endlessly by resetting the "cue balls" when you have successfully used them all.
Next up, Dynamic Drills...
Thursday, February 11, 2010
Single Shots
This is where the adventure begins - Single Shots.
Objectives: Strengthen aim, alignment and follow-through by building muscles necessary for stroke consistency, reinforcing hand-eye coordination and creating mental pictures of successful shots. This phase is just about pocketing, with the exception of the cue ball requirements of The Mighty X.
My current plan (Johan's suggestions are in red, my additions are in black) -
One-Arm Drill:
- Place object ball two ball-widths from the end rail
- Walk into the shot as you would normally
- Let cue rest on the rail, dropping your bridge hand and placing it on your leg to support yourself
- Make sure that cue is level
- Using a slow back swing and smooth cue delivery, pocket the object ball in the corner pocket
The standard shots from PAT1:
Cushion Scare:
- Pocket the frozen ball (9-ball) from each of the cue ball positions (1-ball through 4-ball.)
- The cue ball is frozen to the rail in all positions
- Johan has a thick accent so when he said "cushion scare" I thought he said "cushions care" meaning take care with shots off the rail. When I mentioned this, he said "No Liz, the cushions don't give a sh*t."
The Cutting Edge:
- Cut each ball in from the center of the table
- Balls are half a ball-width off the rail
Next up... Dynamic Shots
Objectives: Strengthen aim, alignment and follow-through by building muscles necessary for stroke consistency, reinforcing hand-eye coordination and creating mental pictures of successful shots. This phase is just about pocketing, with the exception of the cue ball requirements of The Mighty X.
My current plan (Johan's suggestions are in red, my additions are in black) -
One-Arm Drill:
- Place object ball two ball-widths from the end rail
- Walk into the shot as you would normally
- Let cue rest on the rail, dropping your bridge hand and placing it on your leg to support yourself
- Make sure that cue is level
- Using a slow back swing and smooth cue delivery, pocket the object ball in the corner pocket
Bert Kinister's The Mighty X with no practice strokes (Volume 12... available here)
Cushion Scare:
- Pocket the frozen ball (9-ball) from each of the cue ball positions (1-ball through 4-ball.)
- The cue ball is frozen to the rail in all positions
- Johan has a thick accent so when he said "cushion scare" I thought he said "cushions care" meaning take care with shots off the rail. When I mentioned this, he said "No Liz, the cushions don't give a sh*t."
The Cutting Edge:
- Cut each ball in from the center of the table
- Balls are half a ball-width off the rail
Next up... Dynamic Shots
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Setting up a Training Program Dutch Style - Introduction
Over the next few weeks I will be going into each category in depth, but here is the basic recipe for a pre-season training regimen as defined by Johan Ruysink. It is pretty brutal when Johan conducts a training bootcamp with his country's top players (Niels Feijen, Nick van den Berg, et al.) The schedule is for two weeks or more, five days on, two days off - for ten hours per day (broken down into multiple sessions.) The idea behind it is similar to weight-lifting - no pain, no gain. Push yourself hard, and your body and brain will have to work to repair themselves, making you a stronger player in the end.
The system is broken down into five areas of training and each is completed before moving on to the next. These are Johan's terms and then my take on what they mean
1. Single Shots: Rote training focusing on alignment, stroke and aim with very little attention paid to fine cue ball control.
2. Dynamic Shots: Practicing types of shots and cue-ball reactions (stun, natural roll, draw) in situations that are a little different every time.
3. Dynamic Exercises: It's heavy-duty drill time! Evil things, like Bert Kinister's "The Ladder."
4. Playing Formats: Practice games that are played with a partner that make you focus on different objectives.
5. Disciplines and Sparring: Practicing the actual games (playing the ghost, practicing straight-pool, etc.) and then on to playing those games with others.
At the end of each session, 20 minutes of training is thrown in on shots that require a unique body movement or position, like the break, shooting jacked-up or jump shots. The idea is that once you practice these types of shots for 20 minutes your arm and body will be pretty much useless :)
A concept that is essential to this training is that your physical energy should start high and be consumed, but your mental energy should start low and build. In the beginning you are all arm - hitting shots repetitively and at a quick pace without the laser focus that you would use in a match. As you progress through the system, your focus and thinking become deeper. I think there is a nice and logical flow to this kind of program. You make sure that the basics are there and start layering upon them one step at a time.
Next installment... Single Shots
The system is broken down into five areas of training and each is completed before moving on to the next. These are Johan's terms and then my take on what they mean
1. Single Shots: Rote training focusing on alignment, stroke and aim with very little attention paid to fine cue ball control.
2. Dynamic Shots: Practicing types of shots and cue-ball reactions (stun, natural roll, draw) in situations that are a little different every time.
3. Dynamic Exercises: It's heavy-duty drill time! Evil things, like Bert Kinister's "The Ladder."
4. Playing Formats: Practice games that are played with a partner that make you focus on different objectives.
5. Disciplines and Sparring: Practicing the actual games (playing the ghost, practicing straight-pool, etc.) and then on to playing those games with others.
At the end of each session, 20 minutes of training is thrown in on shots that require a unique body movement or position, like the break, shooting jacked-up or jump shots. The idea is that once you practice these types of shots for 20 minutes your arm and body will be pretty much useless :)
A concept that is essential to this training is that your physical energy should start high and be consumed, but your mental energy should start low and build. In the beginning you are all arm - hitting shots repetitively and at a quick pace without the laser focus that you would use in a match. As you progress through the system, your focus and thinking become deeper. I think there is a nice and logical flow to this kind of program. You make sure that the basics are there and start layering upon them one step at a time.
Next installment... Single Shots
Tuesday, January 26, 2010
Things I Learned in Belgium and Holland - Part 1 of Many
I have been having trouble organizing my thoughts about my trip. I am working on posting some of the assessment and training drills but they aren't ready yet. There is so much that I want to share... in the interests of expediency I am going to just start writing things and not worry so much about the big picture.
1. Johan is a fascinating person and it was my pleasure to get to spend the week with him and his family. It felt like the week was one long conversation that was primarily focused on pool but touched on many of the important aspects of life - music, religion, politics, family, philosophy and humor. Johan has played every sport known to man and his life has had many, many incarnations so far (he wouldn't have it any other way.)
2. Pool in Holland started in the Coffee Shops. Not sure why this surprised me at all.
3. I can't believe the lengths I will go to while playing pool to avoid my weaker shots. My problem shots? Cutting the ball without English, using stun (especially near the rails), and draw with speed control among others. My patterns are many times geared so that I can avoid the things that I'm not as good at.
4. Europeans treat the break shot in Straight pool like a break shot. Break shots are left at a slightly shallower angle and are hammered in using stun, stun follow or stun draw.
5. The Dutch think it's weird to put too many things on a sandwich. I taught Johan's kids that Nutella and peanut butter on the same sandwich is not bizarre, it's tasty.
more to come...
1. Johan is a fascinating person and it was my pleasure to get to spend the week with him and his family. It felt like the week was one long conversation that was primarily focused on pool but touched on many of the important aspects of life - music, religion, politics, family, philosophy and humor. Johan has played every sport known to man and his life has had many, many incarnations so far (he wouldn't have it any other way.)
2. Pool in Holland started in the Coffee Shops. Not sure why this surprised me at all.
3. I can't believe the lengths I will go to while playing pool to avoid my weaker shots. My problem shots? Cutting the ball without English, using stun (especially near the rails), and draw with speed control among others. My patterns are many times geared so that I can avoid the things that I'm not as good at.
4. Europeans treat the break shot in Straight pool like a break shot. Break shots are left at a slightly shallower angle and are hammered in using stun, stun follow or stun draw.
5. The Dutch think it's weird to put too many things on a sandwich. I taught Johan's kids that Nutella and peanut butter on the same sandwich is not bizarre, it's tasty.
more to come...
Sunday, January 17, 2010
European Update and Liz Ford, Writer? (Me make good words)
After five days of training, I am going to spend the next two in match-ups with two European players, Tamara Rademakers and Katrine Jensen. Johan will be acting as my coach during these sessions, helping me warm up, helping set my mental state before each match, making me take a break if I need it and completing some post-match analyses.
I'm not sure what it's going to be like as I've never had a coach, only instructors. The closest I've come to on-site help is working closely with a few of my scotch doubles partners. I've always been envious of Jasmin and Xiao-Ting for having coaches that travel with them. I'm sure it is good at times and annoying at times, especially when you are losing or you have a bad attitude (a pool-player? never!)
I'm pretty excited, but I have inputted so much information into my brain in the last five days, that it is going to take me some time to be able to collect and summarize my thoughts. When I get back to the U.S. I hope to write formally about my experience over here as it has been illuminating, to say the least.
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It is getting later and I am getting weirder, so time for bed and hopefully dreams of something other than pool.
I'm not sure what it's going to be like as I've never had a coach, only instructors. The closest I've come to on-site help is working closely with a few of my scotch doubles partners. I've always been envious of Jasmin and Xiao-Ting for having coaches that travel with them. I'm sure it is good at times and annoying at times, especially when you are losing or you have a bad attitude (a pool-player? never!)
I'm pretty excited, but I have inputted so much information into my brain in the last five days, that it is going to take me some time to be able to collect and summarize my thoughts. When I get back to the U.S. I hope to write formally about my experience over here as it has been illuminating, to say the least.
.jpg)
Columnist Liz is serious, but cuddly.
Speaking of writing, I am now a resident columnist over at PoolDawg. My articles will be geared toward newer players in the hopes of getting more people interested in the game, all from a place that is south of cheeky and north of snarky. Hopefully, that is nowhere near Stfuland. Is that where the people who WRITE IN ALL CAPITAL LETTERS live?It is getting later and I am getting weirder, so time for bed and hopefully dreams of something other than pool.
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